A NEW SONG
by TANAY BHASKER
Summary: An intelligent Jon succeed in discovering his parentage and with aid of his uncle Benjen and Eddard make the kingdom of North strong and powerful.


Chapter 1

Winterfell's Godswood

Jon snow is sitting in front of the heartwood tree feeling upset. Old nan answered his question – what is a bastard. Several times, lady Stark and septa Mordane has called him bastard over the years. Now, some of the servants are also calling him bastard behind his back. Its upsetting. On several occasions, he has asked his father about his mother but father wouldn't tell. He wondered who his mother might be and why it is such a big issue for father to tell me about my mother unless my mother is not a smallfolk but a bigfolk. Jon was now filled with determination to discover his mother. He left godswood and made his way to the library.

Library

Entering the library, I found Maester Luwin reading an old book. I approached him asked him that I want to read a book on the rebellion against Targaryen. The reason was simple. I am hopeful that by locating father throughout the rebellion, I will be able locate the kingdom from where my mother most possibly hails. Maester stared at me for a moment but then relented to my request.

Flashback

Jon was 3 years old when he asked Maester Luwin;

"Why are you called a Maester. What does it mean."

Luwin: Maester is one who has forged links at the Citadel and chooses to forever dedicate his life to knowledge and education. And to forge link means to gain mastery in a subject."

Jon: Is knowledge and education really that important. Could we not do without it. I think that it is boring."

Luwin: Education and knowledge require a lot of patience and continued effort toward learning. But once you become learned in any subject then you will find yourself in a position of power. Power to counsel others and make something of your life."

Jon: "What do you mean by – make something of your life."

Luwin: "It means to find yourself a livelihood which could be gained through ones skill and knowledge. Take for example the legendary Brandon the Builder. Who was he. A no one. But through his skill and knowledge, he built castle Winterfell, Storm's End, Highgarden and The Wall. He became King of Winterfell and even to this day, his descendants – Starks of Winterfell - are reaping the benefit. If you want to become someone, you must make effort for it."

Jon: "Will you help me become someone. Will you teach me as much I could learn."

Luwin: "I will."

And ever since then Luwin has been teaching me. He started with language and counting. I am learning common tongue and Old tongue from him. I am brought out of my thoughts when master hands me the book – The Fall of Targayens.

5 months later.

Jon's POV

I know not what to think or say. I have been reading the book given by maester and trying my best to locate my father and thereby my mother. But numbers are not adding up. I was born in the Kingdom of Dorne. But 10 months back father was in Riverrun marrying lady Catelyn. That is why Robb is little older than me. Then how could my father be in Dorne when he had an entire Targaryen host between him and Dorne. That raises the question whether Eddard Stark is actually my father or not.

There is only one way to find answer. Ask father about my father. It will help if I ask him in front of lady Catelyn. And so I waited for the night to fall. I intend to wake father in the middle of the night giving him no chance to send me away without answer.

Later on that night.

I am standing in front of father's bedchamber gathering courage knowing full well that I will be punished irrespective of the consequences. Finally I knocked. 3 times I knocked when the door opened to reveal lady Catelyn. Oops, I didn't took into consideration that lady Catelyn might open the door instead of father. And now I am trouble. She clearly is glaring intensely.

Catelyn: "What do you want."

Jon: " I want to talk to my father right now. I will not take no for an answer."

Lady Catelyn was now ready to slap me but stopped when father came on the door.

Eddard: "Jon, what are you doing here."

Jon: "We must talk. Now."

Saying that, I entered his bedchamber. Great now I am feeling like a cornered animal.

Catelyn: "Ned this is not the time for conversations. Send him away and talk to him tomorrow. Also he must be punished for disturbing us."

Eddard: "I will talk to him right now and yes he will be punished tomorrow. Now Jon tell me what do you want to talk about."

Jon: " First close the door, please."

Father relented and closed the door and waited for me to continue.

Jon: "10 months before my birth in Dorne you were in Riverrun marrying lady Catelyn then how come I was born and brought from Dorne. I should have been born in Riverland. How is this possible. Always I asked you who is my mother, today I ask you who is my father. The only stark that had been in the kingdom of Dorne was aunt Lyana. If she is my mother, who is my father and why call yourself, my father. I have been reading the book – The Fall of Targaryen – and date, time and your location do match with the location of my birth. So please tell me, who am I and who are my parents."

Eddard's POV

The Fall of Targaryens, that book must be removed immediately before anyone else get to the same conclusion. And if a child could come to this conclusion then so could the lords. It is a mercy that no one is paying much attention to North but I cannot rely on it, not with the possibility of presence of spies of Varys in the north. North is not safe. And unfortunately, I am not alone right now. I turned to Catelyn and I could see that she is observing Jon most carefully.

Catelyn: "He has curls of his father and lips of his father. As well as the body. How could you do this. Lie to me about his parents. Family, Duty and Honour. Go you think I would betray the words of House Tully. Did you think I will betray the Starks. Answer me."

I felt angered at those words and responded accordingly.

Eddard: "What else do expect of me. I knew quite well how selfish and self centered your father is. I simply expected the same of you. His would have been goodson( son in law) was murdered by Targaryen. His would have been goodbrother was burnt alive and instead of responding to the situation with honour, he forced me into marriage with you despite the fact that I was betrothed to Ashara Dayne. It was his duty as a fellow Lord to ask for secure return of a maiden of north instead he stooped low to bargaining with grieving brother who was simply trying to reach to his sister to protect her. And some sense of family you talk about when you prayed for someones death. Ashara is dead because of your father's action."

After this outburst, I felt my mistake when I received a full and proper slap right across my face. Jon was standing there with horror on his face. I made my way to him and told him to never again ask about his parents and that it was for his own safety. I told him that there are people who will kill him if they got to know of his parents. They will even invade north just to kill him. I sent him to his room with promise of silence from him.

POV end

After this confrontation Eddard and Catelyn were not on speaking term. Eddard had also told Benjen about Jon's parentage. He chose not to take the watch and pledged his support to Eddard. Bejen met Catelyn requesting her to not change her behaviour toward Jon for that will bring unwanted attention. He also expressed to her that the very future of her children and their continued existence depends on it. That at the very least, she could on behalf of herself and her children could claim to be unaware of the the supposed treason.

In the mean time, Jon started learning pot making realising quite well that he cannot inherit anything even if he is offered just the same. He decided that he will learn smithing and then agriculture after potmaking. Eddard also did not raise objection opon the counsel of Benjen as it could as well provide another protection for Jon. Anyone suspecting anything will be dissuaded when they will get to know that Jon is being trained into some tradecraft and not into statecraft. On the advice of Benjen, Eddard organised a survey of north through Manderlys, who contacted Iron Bank for the purpose. Iron Bank always conduct business with confidentiality hence the reason for their involvement.

In the meantime, Benjen started negotiation with mountain clans of the northern mountains proposing mutual respect, mutual benefit and mutual protection. While all this was going, Jon came across a diary which was written in old tongue. 1 month later he gave the book to father claiming that he has found the hidden treasure of the Starks. Father gave the diary to maester Luwin for translation and guidance to find the entrance. This entrance was in the crypt facing the tomb of Brandon the builder. The door was behind the wall which could be unlocked to be moved aside after pushing the wolf stone figurine by side of the statue of Brandon the builder backwards. The door revealed a long tunnel which lead under the broken tower and the First Keep. The hidden treasure of Starks apparently was not only limited to gold but also ancient weapons and tomes. In the library there was a desk upon which was a book/diary that detailed the history of the hidden chamber and the also its full content. Also into it was the summary report of the survey conducted by the last Winterking of north.


End file.
